Rich Paul and Max Kellerman found themselves circling familiar territory on the Game Over podcast, but this time the exchange felt especially lopsided. Kellerman laid out his long-held stance clearly and calmly: Michael Jordan is the greatest player ever, LeBron James is second, and while LeBron came closer than anyone, he never quite crossed that final line.
It was not framed as disrespect. In fact, Kellerman went out of his way to call LeBron a clear No. 2 and the closest challenger the throne has ever seen.
“You and I debate MJ, LeBron. MJ to me, number one. And by the way, I think decisively number one. And I think LeBron is decisively number two. However, and obviously, you feel differently, every now and then, a guy comes along, and you go, replace MJ one day. For example, LeBron came along, and you’re like, can he?”
“Every now and then, you put your eyes on a guy, and you go, maybe that dude is the one who can displace Michael Jordan at the very top. And I haven’t seen that happen yet. I think LeBron’s come closest. What I’m saying is Wemby is the new guy who I look a,t and I go, I just wonder, can he be known as the best player ever one day if he stays healthy?”
“Cause his impact on the court is ridiculous. But see, he was not having a great game, and they went and beat the Thunder. Rich Paul: When I was a kid, right, and I had a ton of trophies. I was a pretty decent muni league sports player, and I would get my trophies, and I would put them up, and I would get another trophy, put it up there. ”
“I never took a trophy down. So when you talk about replace, it’s like, no, Michael Jordan’s up there. If someone else comes along and they go on the same shelf as Michael Jordan, which is LeBron, you put them up there. Kobe goes up on the shelf with Michael Jordan. I now think Steph Curry goes up on the shelf with those guys.”
Kellerman even opened the door to future possibilities, pointing to Victor Wembanyama as the rare type of player who at least makes you pause and wonder if the Jordan standard could ever be threatened again. That framing mattered. This was not an attack. It was a structured argument rooted in impact, dominance, and historical precedent.
Rich Paul’s response, however, completely sidestepped that argument.
“When I was a kid, right, and I had a ton of trophies. I was a pretty decent mini league sports player, and I would get my trophies, and I would put them up, and I would get another trophy, put it up there. I never took a trophy down.”
“So when you talk about replace, it’s like, no, Michael Jordan’s up there. If someone else comes along and they go on the same shelf as Michael Jordan, which is LeBron, you put them up there. Kobe goes up on the shelf with Michael Jordan. I now think Steph Curry goes up on the shelf with those guys.”
Instead of engaging with Jordan versus LeBron on the court, Paul reached for an analogy about trophies on a shelf. His point was that greatness is additive, not replacement-based. Jordan stays on the shelf.
LeBron joins him. Kobe Bryant joins him. Stephen Curry joins him. No one knocks anyone off. On paper, that sounds respectful and diplomatic. In practice, it avoids the actual question being asked.
The GOAT debate is not about participation trophies. It is not about who belongs in the same room. It is about who sits at the very top. Kellerman explicitly said that Jordan is decisively No. 1 and LeBron is decisively No. 2. Paul never challenged that ranking directly. He just redefined the conversation so rankings no longer mattered.
That is where the frustration comes in.
If Paul wanted to argue for LeBron, he had plenty of ammunition. He could have talked about LeBron being the most complete player ever. He could have brought up longevity at an elite level that the league has never seen.
He could have pointed out LeBron thriving across multiple eras, rule changes, teammates, and team situations. He could have addressed how LeBron entered the league under a microscope Jordan never faced and still exceeded nearly every expectation placed on him.
Instead, Paul chose a metaphor that softened the debate rather than sharpened it.
That feels especially weak coming from LeBron’s closest confidant and business partner. If anyone should be prepared to go to bat with substance, it is Rich Paul. Kellerman was ready to have a real basketball conversation. Paul pivoted to a feel-good framing that dodged comparison entirely.
Ironically, this did LeBron no favors. LeBron’s case does not need sheltering. It needs conviction. Saying everyone belongs on the same shelf sounds inclusive, but it also quietly concedes the top spot by refusing to contest it.
As an analyst, it is fair to believe LeBron is the greatest ever. Many do. But if that is the stance, it has to be argued with clarity and confidence. Kellerman presented a clean, defensible position. Paul did not counter it with equal force.
In a debate as old and passionate as Jordan versus LeBron, mental gymnastics stand out immediately. This one did.
